Residents to voice contamination concerns

MILFORD  Residents of Caswell Cove will have an opportunity to address their concerns about contamination to one of their own Sunday: state House Majority Leader James Amann.

Brian McCready

Published
12:00 am EDT, Saturday, October 11, 2003

On Tuesday, state and city officials announced that contamination similar to that found in the vicinity of Milford Power Co. plant had also been detected at Caswell Cove, a 203-unit condominium complex that is home to more than 400 residents in 14 buildings.

Tests results from the Caswell Cove site showed high levels of Trichloroethylene in groundwater and soil tests.

Trichloroethylene is a chemical solvent that has been shown to cause cancer in tests on animals.

Amann, who has lived at Caswell Cove since 1992, said Department of Environmental Protection workers collected additional samples at the site Wednesday and have been performing soil and groundwater tests since then.

Amann, along with state Sen. Win Smith, R-Milford, will meet, in a session closed to the media, with the seven-member Caswell Cove Condominium Association Sunday at the associations beach house.

"Its fear of the unknown," Amann said. "When people dont know about something they get nervous, but they need not to panic.

"I believe in my heart no one is in serious health risk," Amann said.

Amann said he will provide residents with information about Trichloroethylene and that the DEP will install vapor units that will permanently mitigate the effects of the chemical.

"The DEP has taken responsibility and I am glad they have," Amann said.

Association Secretary Ralph Visconti said while he is pleased members are meeting, he doesnt think it will help residents.

"The health issues are our number one concern and a close second is our property values," Visconti said. "We dont want to see our investment go down. We take great pride in our complex.

"We want to make sure there is nothing there that can kill us," Visconti said. "We want to find out what is known and when will the testing be done."

Visconti said residents dont want to meet with DEP officials, adding "I dont trust them. No one in our community does."

DEP spokesman Matthew Fritz could not be reached for comment Friday.

DEP Commissioner Arthur J. Rocque has publicly apologized to residents for not notifying the city of the contamination found in 1999. In 1999 the DEP ruled the level of contamination wasnt significant enough to require notifying city officials.